Maybe it was simply inevitable. Maybe it was the ineptitude of the Rays and Tigers. Maybe it was “Snitbear,” the cuddly presence in the Braves’ dugout that set social media ablaze.
Whatever the reason, the Braves looked like contenders again during their 5-1 homestand. There were home runs, shutouts, electric early innings, comebacks, timely highlights and 40,000-plus erupting in pivotal moments. This felt like 2023; like a team that’d been mired in lethargy received an adrenaline shot.
“We’re seeing a little light at the end of the tunnel,” manager Brian Snitker said Wednesday.
Compare today with where the Braves were a week ago. They salvaged the series finale in Baltimore, completing a 3-6 road trip that left them nine games behind the surging Phillies in the National League East. And remember, that trip came on the heels of a 3-4 homestand in which the Braves lost three of four to Washington (which they did again a week later) and barely won a series against the Athletics.
Now, they’re 41-31 on Thursday’s off-day, seven games behind the Phillies, but still one of only four NL clubs with a winning record. Even after a maddening six-week stretch, only seven teams had more wins than the Braves. The season wasn’t in shambles, even if it felt that way. One good week could change perception.
This homestand was pinpointed as one in which the Braves potentially could feel rejuvenated. The Rays and Tigers were not playing well and are torpedoing toward being clear trade-deadline sellers.
The Braves had played down to their opponents recently. But even with several close results – including consecutive 2-1 wins over Detroit – it felt like the Braves undoubtedly were far better than those two opponents. That’s been hard to say that about this team since it went 1-5 on a West Coast trip to Seattle and Los Angeles in early May.
“You come in every day grinding and trying your best, but (it’s just about) winning,” designated hitter Marcell Ozuna told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Winning is the most important thing. You just worry about wins. Don’t worry about the (other) results.”
The Braves outscored the Rays and Tigers 33-15. They averaged over nine hits a game across the two series. The one game they lost, they staged a late comeback that was spoiled by a Jose Siri homer in the ninth. One doesn’t need to be batting coach Kevin Seitzer to know the at-bats have looked better. The pitching has remained superb, with all parties finding success in the final game of the homestand, a 7-0 victory over the Tigers.
And just look at the positive storylines from the past week.
Jarred Kelenic, shifting to center field and the leadoff spot in Michael Harris II’s absence, generally has looked good. The Braves will need him to keep it up. Ronald Acuña Jr. isn’t coming back (ACL), and Harris will miss significant time (hamstring). Kelenic has a clear runway to producing the best season of his career. Third baseman Austin Riley, meanwhile, has had his first hot stretch of the season. He hit .526 (10-for-19) with three homers, four doubles and eight RBIs in the six-game stretch.
“Right now, he’s seeing the ball great,” Kelenic said of Riley. “He’s such a talented player and nobody in here was worried whatsoever about him. Baseball is a tough game. That’s one of the things I made a promise to myself, acknowledge the game is hard and keep going each and every day. Over the course of 162 games, everybody’s numbers are going to be there. Zero worry with (Riley). Just super excited that he’s doing his thing.”
Ozuna isn’t the betting favorite for National League MVP, but he probably should be. His statistics have put him in the triple-crown chase as he leads the NL in RBIs (63), he’s tied for the lead in homers (20; Shohei Ohtani) and he’s third in average (.316). He’s unquestionably been the Braves’ best player, and he will represent them at the All-Star game in Texas next month, likely alongside at least one pitcher.
“The consistency of the at-bats, he has a really good way of simplifying the game,” first baseman Matt Olson told the AJC. “In my opinion, DH’ing is not the easiest thing to do. You sit there, and all you have to do is think about your at-bats. But he’s been around so long, he’s such a pro and he knows how to handle it. He’s got his routine with it. He steps in the box and he feels like he can hit anybody, and it’s showing.”
Reynaldo López, the converted reliever, might have the best case to join Ozuna in Texas. He outpitched Tigers ace Tarik Skubal on Wednesday, lowering his MLB-best ERA to 1.57. Max Fried, meanwhile, boasts a 3.11 ERA and could easily join the Cy Young discussion if this continues in the second half. The big bet on Chris Sale keeps paying off. He has a 2.98 ERA in 13 starts, striking out 11 hitters per nine innings.
Speaking of Skubal, there was no greater indication of the Braves awakening from their slumber than how they treated the American League Cy Young candidate Wednesday. They scored five runs (four earned) on seven hits, including two homers. Skubal completed only four innings, his shortest outing of the season. He was surrendering around four hits per outing entering the day; the Braves had four before the second inning finished. Their seven hits and four runs were both tied for season highs surrendered by the pitcher.
Overall, the Braves averaged over nine hits per game during the homestand.
“Success is going to breed confidence,” Olson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “To be able to get some good wins – the staff has been throwing great – and to get some big knocks, have a big win like (Wednesday’s) when you’re driving the ball and throwing well, too, that’s the kind of stuff that can spark you.”
It won’t take long to see if the Braves are indeed sparked. They’re at Yankee Stadium this weekend, facing MLB’s best team that’s won behind a marvelous pitching staff and two MVP candidates in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. It’s a three-game series in June, and those hold only so much value, but it could be an indicative one.
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